Rozella5628 at 16:12, 6 May 2026

2026-05-06T16:12:28Z

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{{aI-generated|date=April 2026}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| birth_place = [[Solapur]], Maharashtra, India
| office1 = [[Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha|Member of Parliament]], [[Rajya Sabha]]
| status1 =
| term_start1 = 03 April 2026
| term_end1 =
| predecessor1 = [[Priyanka Chaturvedi]]
| successor1 =
| party = [[Shiv Sena (2022–present)]]

| constituency1 = [[List of Rajya Sabha members from Maharashtra|Maharashtra]]
}}
Dr. '''Jyoti Nagnath Waghmare''' is an Indian scholar, orator, [[Ambedkarism|Ambedkarite]] thinker, social activist, and politician affiliated with the [[Shiv Sena]]. She has been a [[Member of Parliament (India)|member of parliament]] in [[Rajya Sabha]] since April 2026.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Jyoti Waghmare: Ambedkarite scholar picked by Shinde for Rajya Sabha |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/india/maharashtra/jyoti-waghmare-ambedkarite-scholar-picked-by-shinde-for-rajya-sabha-3921636 |access-date=2026-04-06 |website=Deccan Herald |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2026-03-05 |title=PhD in English, Ambedkarite activist and firebrand orator: Meet Jyoti Waghmare, Shinde Sena's Rajya Sabha candidate |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/dr-jyoti-waghmare-shiv-sena-rajya-sabha-candidate-maharashtra-10565697/ |access-date=2026-04-06 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite news |last= |first= |date=2026-03-05 |title=Jyoti Waghmare: Shinde Sena's pick for Rajya Sabha from Maharashtra |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/maharashtra/jyoti-waghmare-shinde-senas-pick-for-rajya-sabha-from-maharashtra/article70706548.ece |access-date=2026-04-06 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=कौन हैं ज्योति वाघमारे? जिन्हें एकनाथ शिंदे ने महाराष्ट्र से राज्यसभा चुनाव में बनाया कैंडिडेट, जानें सबकुछ |url=https://navbharattimes.indiatimes.com/metro/mumbai/politics/who-is-jyoti-waghmare-maharashtra-dcm-eknanth-shinde-chooses-her-for-rajya-sabha-candidate-know-full-journey/articleshow/129073023.cms |access-date=2026-04-06 |website=Navbharat Times |language=hi}}</ref>

==Early life and education==
Born into a [[Dalit]] Mochi family in [[Solapur]], Maharashtra, Waghmare comes from a humble background. Her father, Nagnath Waghmare, was an active member of the [[Dalit Panthers|Dalit Panther]] movement. To support the family, he worked as a hotel waiter and construction labourer. He was later elected as a corporator in the [[Solapur Municipal Corporation]] in recognition of his social work.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" />

Waghmare excelled academically despite modest circumstances. In the HSC (12th standard), she secured the first rank among backward class students in the Pune division and topped the state in the subject of Ardhamagadhi. She earned a PhD in [[English literature]] and received a state-level first prize for her research on issues related to women. She is proficient in five languages: Marathi, Hindi, English, Telugu, and Kannada.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" />

==Academic and professional career==
Waghmare worked as a college professor for over a decade, including as a faculty member at [[Walchand College of Arts and Science]] in Solapur. She began her public activities through human rights campaigns, the Vidrohi cultural movement, and the [[Dalit Buddhist movement|Ambedkarite movement]]. For a brief period, she worked as a news anchor. She has delivered lectures across Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh on the thoughts of [[Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar]], [[Shivaji Maharaj]], and [[Basaveshwara]].<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" />

==Political career==
Waghmare started her political journey with local social work in Solapur and served as a corporator in the [[Solapur Municipal Corporation]]. She joined the Eknath Shinde-led [[Shiv Sena]] in April 2023 following the party split and was quickly appointed as the party's state spokesperson and district contact chief for Dharashiv (Osmanabad). Known as a firebrand orator, she frequently represented the party in debates and public forums.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" />

On 5 March 2026, the Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde group) nominated her as its candidate for the [[Rajya Sabha]] from Maharashtra, projecting her as an educated Dalit woman leader from western Maharashtra and a symbol of opportunity for grassroots workers. Her election was unopposed. During her oath-taking on 6 April 2026, she paid tribute to [[Savitribai Phule]] by wearing a traditional blue nine-yard saree with head covering, a nose ring, and a distinctive horizontal mark on her forehead. Her party has often referred to her as "Ladli Bahin" and "[[Babasaheb]]'s beloved daughter," highlighting her role in promoting social justice and inclusive representation.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" />

==References==

<references />

{{DEFAULTSORT:Waghmare, Jyoti}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian politicians]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian women politicians]]
[[Category:Dalit activists]]
[[Category:Dalit women]]
[[Category:Indian women academics]]
[[Category:Marathi politicians]]
[[Category:People from Solapur district]]
[[Category:Rajya Sabha members from Maharashtra]]
[[Category:Shiv Sena politicians]]

Jyoti Waghmare - Revision history

Rozella5628 at 16:12, 6 May 2026